Fellowships

Research Fellowships

ISHR Research Fellowships support individuals engaged in advanced research related to the theory and practice of rhetoric in all periods and languages and the relationship of rhetoric to poetics, literary theory and criticism, philosophy, politics, religion, law, and other aspects of the socio-cultural context. Fellowships may not be used for research designed to further pedagogy in rhetorical speaking and writing.

Research Fellowships

Fellowships are designed to support research projects that may be completed within one year. Fellowships are for US$5000.00 (or the equivalent) and are delivered to recipients on or about 1 January of the award year. Fellowship recipients are expected to work full time on award projects for at least two months during the award year.

This year's deadline for applications is October 25, 2014.

Eligibility

Applications for Research Fellowships are accepted from researchers regardless of their national or institutional affiliations. Independent scholars, graduate students, and faculty at colleges and universities are eligible to apply. Applicants must be members of ISHR in good standing at the time of their application. Current officers of ISHR are ineligible to apply for Research Fellowships.

Applicants for ISHR research fellowships must be within 10 years of having completed their terminal academic degrees

An individual may submit only one application for a Research Fellowship in a given year. Also, recipients of ISHR grants are not eligible to apply for a Research Fellowship for the subsequent three years (e.g., a successful applicant in the 2010 grants competition is eligible to apply again in the 2014 competition).

Recipients of ISHR Research Fellowships may hold non-ISHR fellowships, grants, or other awards that support the same project during their award year, including sabbaticals and grants from their own institutions.

Application Preparation

Applications must be submitted electronically as email attachments to ISHR in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Latin between 1 September and 25 October (the deadline) in any given year. The address for submissions is grants@ishr-web.org. Research Fellowships are awarded for the next calendar year. Application materials should be submitted as document pages (in Word.docx, Word.doc, rtf, txt, or pdf) using no smaller than 11-point type and margins of one inch (or 2.5 centimeters). Applications which are incomplete or which exceed page limits for individual elements will not be reviewed.

Project Description (no more than three single-spaced pages—A4 or US Letter). The applicant should furnish a scholarly justification for the research proposed for support, explaining its purpose and significance, the materials to be investigated, the approach to be followed, the plan of work, and the expected outcome. If the research project proposed is part of a larger initiative, its relationship to the larger initiative should be specified. The applicant should indicate his or her level of competence in the languages or other research tools at stake in the research. Also, where relevant, the applicant should indicate what arrangements exist for his or her access to research materials and resources essential to the research proposed for support. Finally, the applicant should indicate how he or she plans to disseminate the results of the research (including the language(s) of dissemination).

Research Bibliography (no more than one single-spaced page—A4 or US Letter). Primary and secondary sources germane to the project should be listed. Applicants may use the research bibliography to document works cited in the project description.

Curriculum vitae (no more than two single-spaced pages—A4 or US Letter). The applicant's curriculum vitae should specify earned degrees, current and past academic appointments, and awards and honors. It should also list publications and presentations (full citations), and other professional accomplishments pertinent to the application.

Two Reference Letters (submitted by email to ISHR—in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Latin—no later than 25 October in the year of application). Applicants should secure referees and supply them with relevant materials. Reference letters should comment on the research project proposed for support and the applicant's qualification to undertake that research project. Reference letters should be sent as emails to the following address: grants@ishr-web.org. The subject line of the email should contain the word 'Reference' followed by the applicant's surname.

Application Review

The ISHR Grants Committee reviews applications for Research Fellowships using the following criteria: scholarly significance of the research, quality of the project description, promise of quality of the proposed research, and likelihood of project completion and dissemination of results. Deliberations of the ISHR Grants Committee are confidential and its decisions are final.

Announcement of Awards

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their applications in December of the application year.

Award Reporting Requirement

Within 180 days of the conclusion of the award year, Research Fellowship recipients must briefly inform the ISHR Grants Committee of the results of research undertaken with Society support. Reports should fit on one single-spaced page and comment upon the research activities undertaken and how such activities have changed the recipient's understanding or approach to the subject matter.